Spectrum of Colors
by Silent-melody2413
Summary: Every color stood on its own places; but there really are some moments where they blend together and create a new touch. Arcobaleno one-shots. 1st: SkullxFemTsuna. 2nd: VerdexFemTsuna
1. Chapter 1: Amusement

**A/N:** So this is the very first chapter: **SKULL X FEM27**. Hope you enjoy ;D

**Warning:** GenderBend (Fem27)

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><p><em>The color of royalty, purple connotes luxury, wealth, and sophistication.<em>

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><p><strong>Amusement<strong>

Tsunahime woke up early in the morning. Though her body felt heavy and her eyelids even heavier, she forced herself to get up from her bed, as quiet as she could manage, without waking Reborn who were sleeping in the room next door. Since the Arcobaleno's curse was lifted Reborn always sleep in his own room, as the thought of sleeping in one room with an adult man is inappropriate.

She was currently in Bali, a small island in Indonesian archipelago, to receive her special (and probably the last) training from her tutor. The idea of parting with Reborn seemed to be unbearable, since she saw him as her second father. Although Reborn often tortured her with his deadly Spartan training, now they had acknowledged each other. At the very least, she was going to give him a present as a parting gift when she finally graduated from Reborn's teachings. Keeping her footsteps feather light and inaudible, she jumped from the window.

The cold morning breeze greeted her as Tsunahime landed on the thick grass. She walked through the misty garden surrounding the inn, pondering on what to give to her tutor. "Hmm… maybe a hat?" she murmured. "No, I see that he already has one." Tsunahime gazed at her surroundings, hoping to find an inspiration. She gazed at the Balinese statues that decorated the garden, the checkered cloths on the tree trunks, and the unique pattern on the walls. It's traditional, unique, and simply beautiful. "What about an antique then?" Tsunahime nods to herself, satisfied with her idea.

*rustle* the trees sang songs, blown by the breeze. Tsunahime smiled. She was not a morning person, but she enjoyed the nature when it's peace and calm. Then she noticed something; the breeze also brought something else, which was not exactly a song. In fact, it's more of a yelp than a song. '_Is it just my imagination?' _she thought, but then the sound repeated again, louder this time. She knew that she was supposed to buy a gift as soon as possible, but her curiosity got the best of her. "I'll just take a peek, and then I'll go buy the gift." Tsunahime searched the source of the sound. Thanks to her hyper intuition, she completed the task quite easily. Erasing her presence, she crouched and took a peek from behind the bushes.

"Hey, you stupid octopus! You better obey my instructions or I'll beat you up!" Tsunahime smiled at the sight, suppressing her laughter. It was Skull, the Arcobaleno of the Cloud, with his pet octopus. It seems that after Skull returned to his original form his pet failed to recognize him and had refused to obey his orders since then. "Hey, don't just ignore me like that! I'm your owner! Hey!" Skull yelled frantically, whereas the giant beast strode away casually, as if oblivious of its owner's presence. This time, Tsunahime couldn't hold back her laughter. A small giggle managed to escape from her tiny lips.

"Who is there?" Skull exclaimed, as he seemed to notice the quiet giggle. Tsunahime, still giggling, stood up from her hiding place. "Do you need some help?" Tsunahime was in a hurry, but seeing a friend in need, she couldn't help but to lend a helping hand.

"Hmph! I don't need your help. I can handle him alone," Skull said quickly. Tsunahime just smiled at his refusal and proceeded to go closer towards the purple octopus, while holding a white mysterious box in her hands. After she got close enough to the octopus, she opened the Pandora's Box and took a thin-sliced, purple-and-white-colored object. Then, she gnawed on the thing mercilessly.

"Little octopus, if you don't obey my orders, you are going to end up like this sashimi." The octopus didn't budge, probably thinking that it was a bluff. "Well, that's okay with me too. I'm sure that octopus sashimi tastes just fine, and seeing your size, you could last for months," Tsunahime said as she studied the giant octopus with a ruthless and sadistic smile on her face. In an instant, the octopus' eyes turned into puppy-dog's eyes, begging for mercy. "Good. Now listen to Skull, would you?" Tsunahime said with an innocent smile despite what she had done a minute earlier. The octopus shook its gigantic head up and down, nodding. _'How is it that she could tame my pet so easily?'_ Skull thought. '_She is as _surprising_ as Reborn-sempai'._

"Skull, do you want to have a breakfast with me? I made too much food for myself to finish," Tsunahime offered. "Of course, if you insist," Skull answered. He just realized how hungry he was after all that pet-training session.

"It's delicious!" Skull said spontaneously after taking a bite of Tsunahime's handmade sandwich. "Isn't it?" Tsunahime said with a sweet smile that left Skull blushing at the sight. Even though he couldn't see his own face, but he was sure that it was as red as his octopus. "Hmph, I was just complimented you out of gratitude," he said, turning his face around. Tsunahime laughed in response.

"By the way, Tsunahime, why are you here in the first place?"

"Training, of course," Tsunahime replied albeit reluctantly.

"No, I mean, why are you here in this garden alone, _very_ early in the morning?"

"Oh, I was just trying to sneak out to buy something before Reborn wakes up."

"Wow, to think that you are courageous enough to sneak out on Reborn-sempai. You are almost as brave as I am!" Skull exclaimed.

Tsunahime smiled at the compliment. "In that case, shouldn't you hurry? I know based on my experience that he'll realize not to long after you _attempted_ to do the action," Skull reminded her.

"HIEEE! You're right! I must hurry!" Tsunahime said as she stood up abruptly.

"Tsunahime, wait!"

"Hmm?" Tsunahime glanced back quickly.

" I'll give you a ride," Skull said as he disappeared behind the bushes.

One minute later, Skull showed up with his purple motorcycle.

"Get on."

"Is that okay?" Tsunahime hesitated. Skull nodded in response. After Tsunahime positioned herself on the back seat, the vehicle shot through the path. Tsunahime, as accustomed as she was to fast-paced motion, couldn't help but clutch Skull's clothes to prevent her from falling.

"What's wrong, Tsunahime? Are you scared?" Skull asked, his voice faded a little due to the wind.

"Erm… No, not at all," the Vongola boss answered, keeping her pride.

"Then I'm going to speed up a little."

"Wha—? HIEEE!" the girl yelped as she held Skull's waist tightly, hugging him from the back. His back, Tsunahime noted, was as broad as his fellow Arcobaleno._ 'He's very different than his infant form,' _Tsunahime thought. _'It's kind of warm and more masculine…' _she commented inwardly, but blushed because of the thought. She snuggled to the Arcobaleno's clothes, hiding her pink cheeks.

"Hahaha! The air feels great, isn't it? It raises your adrenaline," Skull laughed happily.

"Yeah," Tsuna nodded in agreement.

"This is why I love to ride my bike, challenging dangerous stunts before me," he exclaimed enthusiastically. Tsunahime giggled at that. She had always thought that he could do stunts like that so that he was able to outrun dangers, like for example, Reborn. He had always been a coward in his cursed form, always trembling before stronger foes, but pretended to be tough. '_Another change since the curse was lifted,' _Tsunahime thought. '_Reborn still orders him around, though,_' she added.

"Then, thank you for the ride, Skull," Tsunahime said after getting off from the motorcycle. She just walked for a few steps before Skull called her name.

"Yes?" She answered as she turned, making her long hair swayed to her side. Her brunette hair glistened, reflecting the sunlight. The sight was fascinating. Skull was fascinated. Heck, what kind of man is not fascinated? She was an angel! Skull held back his breath for a second before he reopened his mouth to speak.

"Do you want me to accompany you?"

"It's okay, I'm sure you have more important things to do than doing some _shopping_ with me."

"No, I'm free. You've tamed my pet which is my only plan for today, so I'm going to escort you as a payback for your favor."

Tsunahime didn't see any disadvantages on her side, so she agreed at Skull's proposal. Besides, it would be rude to decline the offer, isn't it? She was actually quite pleased with his company, seeing his eyes sparkled at the sight of unique things sold at the stores and his flushed cheeks when she caught him doing so. She also enjoyed herself, searching for a present to give to her tutor and hunting for some souvenirs for her friends in Japan. She found 3 cute key chains for Kyoko, Bianchi, and Chrome; a miniature of Barong* for Haru; sweets for Lambo and I-pin; and a set of collectibles for her guardians. '_This way, we will always be a set,' _she thought, smiling as she paid for the collectibles. She hadn't found Reborn's present though.

"Oi, Tsunahime! Come here!" Skull yelled as he ran towards a stand.

"What? Wait a sec," Tsunahime shouted back to the Arcobaleno.

"Look, the items sold in this store are very cheap!" Skull said to Tsunahime when she managed to catch up.

"Really?" Tsunahime asked, still panting from running. She followed Skull to the store and found out that Skull was right, the store sold items with generous price. Apparently, the store was an antique shop. It was full of antiques and curios. It reminded her of Vongola HQ with the most absurd and incomprehensible things in existence that one could mistake the building for a museum. She combed the shop, trying to find a suitable item for her tutor.

After contemplating for a while, she chose an elegant pocket watch over an antique whip for fear that Reborn might decide to _educate_ his next student with the help of the gorgeous whip. When Tsunahime walked over the cashier to pay, she noticed something; even though the shop was already strange, the strangest one was the shopkeeper. He has the most unique eye color; the left iris was brilliant blue whereas the right was crimson red. It looked similar to Rokudo Mukuro's eyes, which left her wondering if the shopkeeper was a psychic. She has seen psychics with the same eyes and had wondered if Viper, underneath his hood, has those eyes as well.

"Oooh, miss, you have good eyes, I see… yesss, indeed. Of all the things, you chose this item, the most valuable amongst them," the shopkeeper said with a crooked smile. "For transactions above 300.000 rupiahs, one may have their fortunes being told for free. Do you want to receive the free service?"

"Thank you, but no thank you, sir," Tsunahime declined the offer politely.

"Hoh hoh hoh! Just sit down here," the old man laughed, oblivious of Tsunahime's refusal. "Sit down, sit down."

"Wai—"

"Now, now, what do you want to know? Hmm… Wait! Don't say it aloud! I'll read it from your mind," and with that, the eccentric man closed his eyes, deep in thought. "Oh, I see that you want to know you and your boyfriend's future! Fufufu, how sweet of you."

"She's NOT my girlfriend!" Skull yelled.

The shopkeeper guffawed, "but you do love each other, no?"

"Th-That's…" Tsunahime mumbled. Her sentence broke off in the first word after realizing that the man beside her was also blushing red.

The old man then put his hands on the crystal ball and closed his eyes. "Hmm… I see, I see… Your love will be tested soon, and if you succeed your love will blossom so beautifully. But should you fail, one of you will die in vain. Good news, eh? Just take care not to fail," he said to the couple. Still blushing, Tsunahime and Skull quickly make their way out of the shop after saying their thanks to the shopkeeper, not noticing the presence behind the walls.

o0o

"Reborn, that's Skull isn't he?"

"Aah," The Sun Arcobaleno nodded.

"Why's he, of all people, having a _date _with Tsunahime?"

"Why don't you just beat the crap out of him, kora?"

"That could wait. First, I want to see the reason why is she so courageous that she went as far as sneaking out and skipped _my_ training session. By the way, Lal, aren't you supposed to be in Italy right now?"

"W-well… I just wanted to pay a little visit to see Tsunahime's training," Lal stammered, blushing.

"Hn. Is that so?" Reborn smirked. He just loved to tease people.

"It's true! I-it's not like I came just to see Colonello!" she added fiercely. This time, Colonello tried to look away, probably trying to hide his reddish face. Just then he saw their preys, sprinting like they're possessed.

"Hey, look! They're started running, kora! Did they notice us?"

"Damn!" Reborn swore as they started chasing after the couple.

o0o

"Look, Tsunahime, there's an amusement park over there! Let's enter!" Skull said with gleaming eyes. "Amusement pa—Hieeeeee! Skull, wait a minute!" Tsunahime yelled when Skull—at full speed—dragged her along towards the ticket booth.

"Two tickets, please!"

"Sure," said the woman behind the locket. "You're lucky. There's a 50% discount if you buy 2 tickets."

"Thank you, lady."

"You're welcome. Have fun, you two!" said the woman with a polite smile. "My, what a cute couple! It's sooo good to have a boyfriend," the woman mumbled to herself, but loud enough for Tsunahime to hear it. _'Do we really look like a couple?'_ Tsunahime thought, glancing at the figure that was still dragging her. She suddenly felt overly conscious of the large, warm hands that were covering hers. '_It was just holding hands', _Tsunahime reminded herself, but still, she felt butterflies in her stomach. She didn't know if it was because of Skull tugging her or it was her thoughts that made her almost lose her balance.

"Oi, Tsunahime, do you want to try the roller coaster over there? It looks fun!" Skull said, pointing at the attraction.

"Yeah," Tsunahime nodded absentmindedly. Only when the roller coaster started moving did she realize what she just answered. "Erm… Skull, may I get off?" She said, looking at the steep slopes and bends. Skull shot an are-you-kidding kind of look. "Of course you can't. This monster's already on its way." With both desperate and frantic look in her eyes, she clutched at the rails until her knuckles became white from the pressure. Then her screams echoed throughout the area.

"I am not going to get on a roller coaster again," Tsunahime grunted after they got off. Her face was pale like a ghost's. "Now, don't be so down." Skull said, trying to cheer her up. "Hey, let's go to the house of mirrors!"

"Okay." This time, Tsunahime processed the question correctly in her mind before letting out an answer. The house of mirrors was actually her favorite attraction. As the mirrors are immobile, the only worry is to look strange in the mirrors. In fact, she found it entertaining to laugh at the funny reflections with her friends. So she stepped into the attraction confidently.

o0o

"Is it really a good idea to change the sign 'House of Horrors' into 'House of Mirrors', kora?"

"Of course. I don't see any bad points in it," answered the man in black suite casually.

"Really? But they're both no good with House of Horrors," said the woman in the group.

"Just consider it as a training for her," said Reborn. "As for Skull, I don't care if he is scared to death."

"That's right, kora!"

"Hmm, I see," said Lal as the trio Spartan tutor nodded in agreement.

o0o

"Skull, d-do you really think that t-this is the House of M-mirrors?" Tsunahime asked as she gazed her surroundings. It looked more like an old abandoned house than a save attraction. It reminded her of the horror movies that Reborn used to force her to watch every time he found her seating in front of the television, claiming that it was a training for her. If not for her fear of being in a state like one of the victims in those horror movies, she would NOT agree to watch them.

"Yes. See, there is a mirror over there!" Skull said, approaching the _only_ mirror there. "There's nothing to be afraid…of—"

Suddenly, translucent figures came out from the mirror, encircled them, whispering unclear words to them. Skull froze. Tsunahime froze. The figures before them were ghastly; their eyes were just empty sockets, the places where their feet supposed to be were empty, and bloodstains covered their bodies. Tsunahime clutched Skull, hugging him tightly, too scared to speak.

"C-calm down…! This is just an attraction… They're just holograms, holograms…" Skull said, trying to reassure Tsunahime even though he himself was as frightened as Tsunahime, which was sweet of him. Had it been another people, he would definitely leave them behind without a second thought. "Hold on tight, we're going to run through this," Skull said as he grabbed Tsunahime and carried her slender body in his arms. With that, both of them started to go towards the exit with the speed of light.

o0o

"Ah, at last we're out!" Skull exclaimed, his voice full of relief. Tsunahime's face was still as pale as sheet, and her knees still felt weak. Still leaning to the Arcobaleno's shoulder, she gave him a grateful smile. This time, he smiled back.

"I feel like eating sweets. Let's buy some," Skull said suddenly, as if reading her mind. "Yeah," Tsunahime nodded. After all that, she needed some carbohydrates to replenish her strength, so they walked to buy some cotton candies from one of the stands.

"Two please," Skull said to the seller.

"Sorry, a group of kindergarten student just bought most of the cotton candies, so I just have one cotton candy left," said the seller.

"Its okay, we'll just have one," Tsunahime said as she exchanged some coins for the cotton candy.

"Thank you. Have fun, you two," the seller said when Tsunahime waved goodbye to him.

"Here, you may have it. I'll just buy something else," Skull said, once again trying to be a gentleman.

"You don't have to. Let's just eat it together, it's big enough for both of us," Tsunahime said with her irresistible smile.

"Okay, if you insist."

Tsunahime took a small bite from the soft cotton candy. Some of the pink fairy floss sticks on her lips as she bit it. Seeing the scene, Skull let out a small giggle.

"Why are you laughing?" Tsunahime said, pouting.

"No, its nothing," he answered, his voice mixed up with short chuckles.

"Oh, stop laughing, would you? Is there something on my face?"

"Yes," he said briefly, smiling.

"Huh?" Tsunahime uttered, half confused and half dazzled because of the smile.

"Here," Skull murmured. His voice was no longer a childish high pitched noise since the curse was lifted. It was a bit husky and deep, reverberating throughout Tsunahime's ears and flowed far to her spine, even though it was a murmur almost as soft as a whisper. Tsunahime opened her mouth slightly to ask, but whatever she wanted to say evaporated when Skull's fingers touched her lips gently. His lips were only a few inches from hers. She could feel his breath, and she was blushing redder as she inhaled. The image of her kissing him flashed for a moment in her mind. '_Not yet,'_ she thought. So she placed the candy floss between them, preventing every possible thought from happening.

"Cotton candy?" she said with an apologizing smile. Skull was dumbstruck for a moment, but nodded when he recovered. He then took a bite, almost at the same time as Tsunahime on the opposite side. The sweetness spread through his mouth as his tongue touched the fairy floss. He was uncertain whether it was just the sweetness of the candy or if it was Tsunahime's sweet scent he took with it, but it was very delicious. And it wasn't even a direct kiss! He ate more, curious of what will happen when all the candy disappeared. He was, after all, a man of adventures and Tsunahime was a new territory he hadn't conquered. He ate more, and more, and more, and—

BANG!

o0o

"Reborn! Calm down! They might discover our presence!" Lal whispered to Reborn.

"I'm not allowing my _lackey _to take advantages from my _disciple_!"

"Okay, okay. Just. Calm. Down! You might kill them, kora!"

Reborn grunted, but calmed down. Colonello sighed. '_He's just like an angry father trying to scare off his daughter's boyfriend…'_

"Wait— something's fishy in the air," Lal said, her posture tense.

"Aah. I think we should go away to avoid _this_ now."

"But is it okay to leave them, kora?"

But Reborn has disappeared even before Colonello managed to finish his sentence.

o0o

Both of them froze. A small hole was formed precisely in the center of the candy. Then their faces showed genuine horror as they suspected the one who made the hole. Tsunahime closed her eyes, trying to spot the source of the threat, and Skull was scanning the area. Their heart beat goes faster and louder in their chests. If their suspicions were right, then they were both in mortal danger. The Hitman was cold blooded, and above all, was very proficient with guns. Of all people, they're the ones who knew the best of it.

A moment later, the air seemed to change. Tsunahime noticed something; it was too silent. It was calm, but the silence was unnerving, like the calm before the storm. Was it only their imagination when they saw the thin fog creeping among them? Apparently, it was not. The ominous fog brought death with it. It was a poison specially designed for murder. Skull realized that immediately when he saw the people around them started to collapse one after another. The bullet just now was certainly Reborn's doing, but the mist was another thing. Whatever the cause was, it was not Reborn. If it was him, he would just drag Tsunahime on the spot rather than doing it in a roundabout manner like using some poison or drugs.

"Oi, Tsunahime!" Skull exclaimed in horror when he saw the slender figure beside him collapsed. Her face was slightly green, and she was struggling to breath. He knew what will happen next if she keeps inhaling the horrid vapour a couple of minutes longer. Her lungs would degrade as a smoker's would, but in a far faster pace, and death will follow not too long after. Her being a vongola boss and her fighting skill was not going to help fight the poison. He must do something in order to prevent that from happening. He put his hands over his helmet, which was his only protection from poisons. He had always put his life as the first priority, but this time, Tsunahime's life was far more valuable for him. Holding his breath, he took off his helmet and put it on Tsunahime. He has to stop the mist. He didn't care about the other victims, but he cared about his and Tsunahime's life. "Don't die on me now…Hime," He whispered as he took off in one swift motion, knowing full well that he could lose his life at the shortest delay. He goes straight to the highest place in the amusement park, which was the most likely be the place where the poison was spread from.

Skull was out of breath by the time he arrived. He looked up to the Ferris wheel, to the cabin near the peak. White mist was pouring gently from the cabin. Every attempt to breathe was pure agony, his lungs flared from the need for oxygen. Yet, he inhaled as small amount of air as possible, fighting the urge to inhale deeply. He knew that it meant instant death if he did, for he was now very near to the source of the deadly mist. "Now, how am I supposed to stop that thing?"

o0o

It was an unnatural thing to see two adult men getting on a small Ferris wheel cabin together. Bizarre, even. What were they doing inside? One can only imagine only the strangest things. The shorter men was holding a medium-sized tube, spreading death omens from the window. "Hahaha! Check it out, bro! You're a genius. They're dying like insects!" Said he. His eyes were glinting with amusement and cruelty.

"Well, of course they do," said the slightly taller man. "It's a part of my experiment, after all."

"Hee? Cocky, aren't you? I recall that your so called experiment failed you last time."

"No, they are not failures. It killed a fair amount of cockroaches, didn't it?" the scholar answered casually, unaffected by the provocation.

"Yes, but it also managed to drag me into some troubles," the younger man protested.

"It can't be helped. It's on your own risk," answered the scholar. "I made it for you. You should at least take on the risk by yourself."

"What a kind hearted brother you are!"

CREAK!

"Hey, bro, what's that just now?"

"Dunno. I didn't hear anything. It's just your imagination."

CREAK!

"No it was not! It goes _creak_ just now!"

CREAK!

CREAK!

"There it goes again!" the younger of the pair panicked when the cabin shook violently, along with the heartbreaking noise.

CREAK!

CREAK!

CREAK!

"Wha—!"

CREEEEEAAAAAAK!

BANG!

"Gyaaaaa!" Both of the men shouted in horror at the sight of gigantic octopus tentacles which were trying to pull the cabin down, and nearly passed out when it succeeded. As they were on the highest spot in the area, falling down meant certain death. It's ironic that they're afraid of death when they're so happy with the thought of other people's death. But the cabin didn't face its oblivion when it stopped falling. It hung midair in the grip of the giant octopus. They froze in place, their blood drained from their skin, leaving it colorless. Forget talking, they don't even dare to breathe.

The sight of the man clad in purple riding the octopus didn't help either. They gasped in horror when they saw the eyes even colder than theirs, and the humorless, sadistic, smile fixed on his face. He wasn't very tall, but he was muscular. There's something intimidating about this young man, even though it was obvious that the man before them was weakened by the poison. He looked at them with those menacing eyes as if they were the murderer of his beloved, which was not an impossible thing at all. Just a moment later, they recognized the true identity of the strange man. It was Skull from Hell, ready to drag them along to hell with him.

o0o

Skull was perfectly sure that the two men knew what he was thinking, for they were showing faces so horrified that it was a bit funny. But Skull didn't laugh. He was furious. If not because of the effect of the poison, he would have killed the two men before him, then resurrect them and kill them all over again. He would have played with them, enjoying the sight of them writhing in pain. He would have enjoyed the act of separating their flesh from their miserable bones, but no. He was already weakened quite a bit, so he acted fast, as precise and effective as he could manage. With a light motion of his fingers, he ordered his pet octopus to separate the cabin from the attraction so that the terrorists couldn't escape. He then leapt inside the cabin.

Glaring at the two terrorists, he took the tube that held the poison. With one powerful strike on the lid, the tube was broken, and the deadly mist filled the small cabin almost immediately. He could see the horror in their eyes when he jumped out and motioned his pet to seal the cabin's ventilation. They banged at the windows, begging for mercy. They tried to yank the door in vain. The giant octopus was a far too powerful enemy to face when they're weakened every passing second. They were slowly tortured to death by their own tool of murder. Dull thuds were heard when they fell unconscious, life seeping away from their body. But Skull too, was at his limit. His feet threatened to crumble into the ground far below him as his vision blurred and his nerves numbed.

In the haze, he saw the reality mixed with the strangest illusions. He saw how he was underestimated by his fellow Arcobaleno. He saw his pain in the past. He saw his first time riding a bike. He also saw the shimmering brunette hair framing the most beautiful face he had ever known that was too vivid to be a memory. He saw her elegant figure, her smooth curves that were a sweet temptation every time he saw her. His eyelids closed. Then her voice as gentle as the morning dew, called his name. Now he could hear the mixed emotion in her voice. The fear, the anguish, and above all, the expression of love.

Then his cheeks felt warm and wet from tears that were not his. It belonged to Tsunahime.

"Skull… don't die… " Tsunahime murmured softly. She wasn't even sure why she was crying for him.

'_But you do love each other, don't you?' _

_"_I love you, Skull! So don't die on me now!"

Skull was shocked. He has never been truly loved by someone. Never. Not even once. Why was it when he was about to face death did he receive it? He wanted to laugh out loud at that moment, but all he could do was to let out a small cough.

"Skull… Open your eyes! Please, open your eyes!"

More tears.

Skull had wanted to sleep, taking a rest that his body so desired. He had wanted to give up. But now his Princess was telling her to live. The pressure was too hard on Skull. He was struggling to move. He could feel sharp pain, and more pain as he did it. But at last, he managed to open his eyelids. He smiled when the girl cried tears of relief when she saw that he regained his consciousness. She called his name over and over again, hiccups and tears mixed between her words.

"Ssh… I'm okay now, Hime…"

"Oh, Skull! Don't do this to me again! I was so worried about you! I thought that I've lost you forever!"

Skull patted Tsunahime's back, trying to comfort her. "Hime, even if I go to the deepest part in hell, I'll climb back up just to meet you again," he murmured in her ears. "I'm Skull from Hell after all," he added with a smile.

"Oh, Skull! You shouldn't be so cocky!" Tsunahime said, hugging him tighter.

"So, is it true then?"

"Hmm?"

"That you loved me?"

"Like I said, you shouldn't be too cocky," Tsunahime said with a hint of smile in her voice.

"I love you too… Hime," Skull whispered to her ears.

"Are you okay with it, kora?" said Colonello as the trio saw the scene just now.

"Aah. After all, Skull did protect Tsunahime at the risk of his own life," Reborn said with his usual smirk.

"Well, it's the power of love," said Lal, who just realizes what she just said when her eyes met Colonello's. Again, both of them blushed, exchanging meaningful glance.

"Let's leave them alone for now then, kora!"

"Hn, but for her to let herself to be protected by Skull, it's too early for her to graduate after all," Reborn said as the three of them walked out from the amusement park, not noticing the kiss that the couple shared below the fireworks.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Okay, how about this chap ? Hope you like this chap and please R&R XDDD. Oh yeah, though the setting is in Bali, but I don't know if there's really such an amusement park like this in Bali. Hehe, but it really is a beautiful island, do come and visit [commercial passing through] XD.


	2. Chapter 2: Remedy

**A/N:** Hi! After taking FOREVER (literally) my sis finally updated this story! And, we're sorry that it's not Fon like we said, but instead it's Verde. Why? Because my sis said that Fon's story end up with a bad ending and she didn't like that so she's re-making it right now. Hehe, anyway, hope you enjoy!

**P.s.** The one who wrote the A/N(s) in this chap is ME (the younger author LOL). And I kinda stole *cough* this word document and publish it without my sis knowing (she's sleeping right now while I'm stuck with HWs and... FF! LOL). So, don't be surprised to see a change in the A/N later on. Sorry for the inconvenience

**Disclaimer:** I don't own KHR

**Warning:** fem27, adult Arcobaleno

**Remedy**

* * *

><p><em>Long ago, there was a sea of rain forest green. It was full of dancing lights and every creature underneath rejoiced in the shimmering rays. But even the dimmest light casts shadows, and the lights that passed through the canopies were bright. <em>

_The lights casted an infinite shadow, as black and bottomless as the deepest trench that swallowed everything. It swallowed the lush green forest. It swallowed the rejoicing creatures. And eventually, it swallowed the bright dancing light. _

_With the light gone, the shadow too, disappeared. But as the lights that can never be perished, the shadow also left its remains lurking in the darkness. Since then, the once beautiful forest was infested by unearthly creatures such as goblins, fairies, and those who devour mankind in their dreams. _

o0o

Tsunahime stepped another step on the moldy trunk. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead and fell to her eyelashes. She blinked as she struggled to move her body. Her feet ached and her stomach grumbled in protest. Even so, she did not give up. She believed that she took the right decision by walking back instead of following the route that was told by her tutor.

Her tutor.

Her oh-so-cute tutor.

Her superhuman tutor.

Her _sadistic_ tutor.

She sighed yet another long sigh. _Anything but Reborn's Spartan training, right?_ She thought, _and he even said that he is going 'level up' the training! _She didn't know the details, but she could guess that anything short of death could have been better that Reborn's training. The usual training… well, it was hellish, but still endurable. But this time, he said that he's going to take it to a whole new level. Even without adding additional 'teaching media', it was already life threatening as it was! She couldn't even begin to imagine what sort of damage she would experience if she had taken the enhanced version of thetraining.

Hence, she decided that it was better to escape from _him_ while she still got the chance to do so. _Or while he still got the heart to let her do so. _Why was it so easy for her to escape? He must have noticed her absence, yet she still managed to escape. Based on past experiences, her tutor had never failed to notice her attempts to escape from his training programs, thanks to his insane ability to read minds. That tutor of hers was just too perfect that it's scary. _Yet she managed to escape. _

At first, her heart was filled with joy, and maybe just a bit of rebellious excitement. But now Tsunahime began to doubt the reckless decision. Since she managed to escape from him, she had been walking for more than eight hours straight. But since then, the scenery hasn't changed a bit, always the same green terrain, with moss and rotten leaves and mushrooms popping here and there. The feeling was almost as if you were alone on a life boat, floating on the seven seas where you could see nothing but the depressing and endless blue, the only difference was, this time, it's green instead. Could it be that he let her go on purpose? She recalled having a similar experience before…

_Flashback…_

_Tsunahime was running as fast as her feet could carry her—which was actually not very fast— as she struggled to avoid the dancing pink-tutu-wearing bears that fell out of nowhere. She occasionally caught glimpses of her tutor with her peripheral vision, but it seems that he has no intention whatsoever to save her from the comical yet life threatening situation. Rather, she was perfectly sure that he was enjoying this._

_She somehow managed to climb to her safety, panting from exhaustion. The cute tutor just smiled innocently at her from a nearby tree, before she was showered by what seemed like chestnut rain. She fell from the tree, bruised all over. _

_After experiencing his pranks, urged by her anger and frustration, she cried, "This is not training! It's just you playing tricks on me! I've had enough of all this 'training'! I'm going home."_

_Reborn just glanced at her and said, "Go home then. I won't stop you."_

_Tsunahime froze." Eh?"_

_"If you actually managed to get out of this mountain by yourself, then you've certainly become a true lady and there's no need for you to receive further training. On the other hand, if you failed, well…"_

_The unsaid words were, 'you'll die a painful death, and people won't be able to find as much as a bone from your remains.'_

_"Okay, okay! I just have to continue with the training…" _

_End of flashback_

A gust of wind blew, making her shiver. It was almost dark by now, so the air temperature was a bit low. She zipped her jacket and sat down. As dusk fell, it became eerier than ever. Tsunahime remembered the stories told about this forest. "One should never enter the forest, for they shall embrace their deaths in the hands of the green forest goblins." The stories described the goblins as such, green skin, menacing eyes, razor teeth, and varied sizes of big and small, short and tall. The goblins, ruthless, mean creatures they were, would capture their preys at dusk, scoop their eyes, tear up the limbs, and eat their flesh while drinking the fresh, red blood.

*rustle*

*rustle*

The bushes shook. Tsunahime quivered, alerted by a distant presence. A figure was coming from the shadows. She wanted to run, but her feet refused to move. She wanted to scream, but her lips refused to part. Fear started to take over every inch of her. She has never been the bravest person in the society; they even called her Dame-Hime. She was not that lame little girl anymore, but it's not like she was devoid of any fears, especially when her comrades were not by her side. Like this time. She felt like a frog staring into the snake's eyes.

_*Step*_

_*Step*_

The figure was emerging, taking a step closer toward her. Her eyes widened. The figure was green. Green from head to toe! It was tall, it's expression cold. _Move!_ _Please, just move! _After much struggle, she managed to take a step back. A sudden sharp pain stabbed her limbs almost immediately along with the realization that her body was falling backwards. The pain spread, and her body crumbled. Her consciousness followed not too long after.

o0o

The flame was lit ablaze. It burns. It was painful. She tried putting it off. More pain. A heart wrenching shriek escaped her mouth and spread through her entire being. Who _ignited the fire? Why was it there? _She wished for it to go away. But the flame engulfed her entire body, scorching her. She felt like she was turning into a human charcoal, being burnt alive. But then the flames stopped its torture. It was still there, but the pain has vanished. So she opened her eyes, and…

"So it did work!" exclaimed the green figure. He seemed like he was having fun, with that smug expression stuck on his face. _Wait a minute, he's a human!_

"I wouldn't try to stand if I were you. The poison… There might be some remaining in your body."

"Poison?"

"The poison from the thorn. It was lethal enough to kill a grown up bear. You could have died easily. Well, thanks to me you're alive, but what were you thinking? Running into a poisonous bush just to stab yourself with the thorns? Even that Reborn didn't manage to fix that clumsy nature of yours, eh? Amazing. Amazing indeed! I'm awed by your supreme clumsiness."

"Excuse me?"

"You're Reborn's disciple, aren't you?"

"You know Reborn?"

The man didn't answer; instead, he snickered to himself. "My, my, you really didn't recognize me? You really have a goldfish's memory."

Then a sudden realization hit her. Tsunahime's eyes widened as she noticed the identity of the man. He was one of Reborn's acquaintances, one of his fellow arcobalenoes. And the weirdest of the bunch, no less! Not that the others are normal; the word 'normal' could never be associated to the arcobalenos after all. If Reborn was the Sadistic Tutor, he was the Mad Scientist. A true genius, no doubt, but seeing his ruthless ways when conducting his experiments, you could even say that he was what people called a maniac. Yes, he was the one and only arcobaleno of the lightning, Verde!

"Took you long enough to realize," Verde smirked.

Tsunahime sighed a sigh of relief. Now that Verde was here, maybe she was not so lost after all.

"How do you feel?"

"hmm… Only a bit dizzy, but I guess I'm okay. Thank you for saving me, Verde-san."

"No, no. No need to thank me…" Verde said, and then muttered to himself, "So my hypothesis was right… I just need to add a little of this and that…"

Tsunahime only managed to catch a few words, but she didn't feel curious about the rest. It was better for her not to know, it was highly probable that she would freak out if she did. She suspected that it might be as nasty as Reborn's training program that she saw before she left.

"What are you doing here, Verde-san? How did you end up here?"

"Hmm…? Me? I'm gathering some ingredients for my latest experiment, obviously. A place with this much rare ingredients is just very convenient!"

"Rare ingredients…?"

Tsunahime was rendered speechless. _What kind of place is this, to have so many rare 'ingredients'?_ Not that she wanted to know the answer; she just wanted to find an escape route!

"Umm… Verde-san, will you tell me how to exit this forest?"

*silence*

"Verde-san…?"

"Hmm…?"

"Verde-san, sorry for asking, but could it be that you are also… lost?"

"…"

The green arcobaleno just turned his back and walked away in response to Tsunahime's question.

"Verde-san! Wait for me!" Tsunahime cried desperately, seeing that her only hope to survive was obviously trying to leave her by herself. Just look at the pace he was walking with! Tsunahime picked up her speed to catch up with him. _Isn't he supposed to be a scientist that was not all that capable in terms of physical exercises?_ Tsunahime sighed once again at the situation.

o0o

"How long are you going to follow me around?"

"Until we get out of the forest, of course," Tsunahime answered. Seeing the determined look on her eyes, it seemed that she would not give up anytime soon. It seemed that Verde's opinion about her was slightly inaccurate. The tenth Vongola boss was not all that weak-minded. Instead, she could be really stubborn at times. And she just had to pick _this_ time to show that stubborn side of hers. Of all times, why now, when he just happened to be conducting the most important experiment of the year?

Verde tried to outrun her, but it was not an easy task. Regardless of her gender and shorter limbs, she was still the boss of the Vongola. He was almost at his limit, but she still managed to keep up with ease. Verde took a glance backwards, deciding to stop running as she's really not going to give up anytime soon, and he was too tired to keep running. It was annoying to do his work when another person was observing him, but Tsunahime was not that bright anyway. Even if she was trying, she could never comprehend his actions.

"All right, you win," Verde said reluctantly while turning his head.

But Tsunahime was not there.

"…"

_Don't tell me that she's…_

Verde took a few steps back, only to find her lying unconscious in the nearby pitfall. The arcobaleno sighed and walked away, his face devoid of any expressions. _This generation's vongola boss is just too reckless!_

o0o

"Ugh, my head hurts…" Tsunahime rubbed her head as she managed to sit up.

"And again, my hypothesis was right. 'That' herb could enhance the self healing properties of the body… Hmm… Ah! That's right. Just tag along with me until we're out of this forest. I would even heal your wounds!"

Tsunahime stared at him in suspicion at his sudden willingness. "You're just toying with me, aren't you?"

"No. 'Toying' is not the correct term. 'Experimenting' is more suitable in this case," he said with a smirk.

"What am I to you? A guinea pig?"

"Correct!"

Hearing Verde's answer, Tsunahime could only stare blankly at the older man.

o0o

The two continued walking until the night came. Luckily, there was a small cave nearby. Tsunahime lit the fire in silence while Verde prepared the food. He took out some suspicious-looking herb. Tsunahime, apparently too tired to complain about the looks, took a bite after another. _Delicious! It's very delicious!_

"Verde-san, I never knew that you are such a good cook!"

"Well, cooking is not all that different from conducting experiments," Verde chuckled as he saw Tsunahime eating.

"When you think about it…" _As conducting chemical experiments are basically the same as cooking, and looking at the amount of time he spent working in his lab which is as much as the time spent by full-time chefs in the kitchen… Could it be that he's as skilled as full time chefs?! Now that you think about it, his cooking skills must be the best amongst the arcobaleno! Or at least, on par with Fon-san's skills in making gyoza-meat buns._ Tsunahime chuckled a bit on her thoughts, receiving a raised eyebrow from the green arcobaleno. After eating her share, she finally gave in to her exhaustion and slept by the fire.

o0o

Verde studied the delicate smile on Tsunahime's sleeping face. _Geez, this girl... How could she sleep so casually in front of an adult man in the middle of the forest? _Apparently, after finishing her dinner, she fell into a deep sleep almost immediately, using her bag as a pillow.

" Verde-san…"

He froze. _Is she awake? _He looked at Tsunahime's face closely. Seeing that she was fast asleep, he sighed in relief. It'll be bad if he was caught while gazing at her sleeping face. It seemed that she was just murmuring his name in her sleep. What was she dreaming about? It must be something nice, but she murmured _his_ name. Could it be that she was dreaming of him? He frowned. Why would she smile when he was in her dream? He knew that she considered him as a mad scientist with no conscience whatsoever. If he ever appeared in her dream, it'll be a nightmare of some sort. Yet, she smiled. He couldn't help but smile a little. Until now, there was no one that showed a sincere smile for his sake. Yet, this girl smiled while murmuring his name.

o0o

_A nightmare…_ Tsunahime's face distorted with pain. Her eyes snapped open. Verde gasped in horror. Her eyes were a deep shade of red, so dark her pupils were indistinguishable from her irises. He was a fool! How could he not noticed the fact the 'herb' has a serious side effect which amplifies the very poison it neutralized when there was even the slightest portion of poison remained? How could he make such a mistake!

He won't let her die. How could he let her die, the girl who murmured his name with a smile on her face?

He berated himself for thinking about useless things in this situation. He must act swiftly if he were to save Tsunahime. He told himself to calm down and think. He can't use the herb again, as it may accelerate her death. Now, he only has the serums he managed to gather this past week. It was too dangerous to use them randomly. He might succeed, but he was definitely unwilling to take bets using experimental-stage materials. _Think. There must be something…Ah!_

He might be a scientist, but he was also an arcobaleno of lightning. The lightning has that particular ability to solidify and protect. Because human body was built mostly of water, the lightning flame should have no problems entering, as the water acts as a conductor. He could inject his flames into her internal organs and temporarily block the poison, preventing it from spreading further. He could only block the poison, but this girl was a Vongola Boss who wields the sky flame. She will not die without fighting. He simply has to block it long enough as her own flames disintegrate the foreign object in her bloodstream.

Now, there was only one problem to solve: how to inject the flames to her body. His ability to use his own flames does not know the word 'subtlety'. In the past, never mind injecting, it would simply char his opponents. If he used such technique, Tsunahime will die for sure. However, he started emitting small amount of lightning flames throughout his body. As the lightning gathered, he gently held her hands and kissed her on the lips, transferring the flames of lightning through the temporary bond created by their body liquid.

o0o

Tsunahime felt the poison spread, inching further and further. The sense of peace she had has left, replaced by the excruciating pain that were scorching her, so much heat she was sure that her skin has blackened and charred on the outside. The black flames approached on the edges, center, and between her consciousness. She desperately fought the black with her own pure orange, knowing that it was a losing battle. The flames spread far to fast. She panicked. She opened her eyes, but only blackness greeted her. She moved her body, but the flames pinned her down. But she refused to give up. She burned up her hands and reached out.

A gentle hand took hers. It was impossibly warm despite all the heat, promising to aid and protect. So she accepted that aid willingly as another foreign flame entered, solidify, forming formidable green fortress that held back the black. The spread finally halted, giving her flames a chance to fight. The fight was slow and difficult, but it was no longer a losing battle.

What felt like hours has passed, but still the green fortress stayed solid. Lightning green poured continuously, aiding her orange that was fighting the black. She felt the black flames subsiding, replaced by her own flames. She felt warmth throughout her body as the green, too, subsided when the black completely disappeared.

Slowly, she opened her eyes. The bird's cheerful song greeted her, as if to congratulate her for winning the hard battle. "It is morning already," Tsunahime murmured to herself.

"Yes."

She looked up to find Verde staring back at her. She could see a hint of kindness and relief reflected in his eyes, a genuine and sincere feeling that could be seen no matter how hard he tried to hide it. He looked away from her somewhat sheepishly. She could see him blushing, and she felt her own swollen lips. Realizing what he has done to save her life, she felt blood rushing to her cheeks.

"Thank you, Verde-san," Tunahime said.

Before he got a chance to reply, a voice calling out Tsunahime's name was heard from a distance. Verde got up almost immediately.

_So Verde-san has a good heart after all. _She could still see it, even with his back towards her.

He was leading her now, to the light that shone brightly, marking the end of their journey. Tsunahime stopped her steps, suddenly felt overwhelmed by both relieve and grief.

Realizing that she has stopped walking, Verde too, halted his steps. "What now?" he asked with his back facing Tsunahime. Tsunahime hesitated a little, but then opened her mouth.

"Verde-san, if I want to meet you in the future…"

Verde ruffled her hair lightly before turning his back casually and took a few steps forward.

"I'll invite you to my lab sometimes."

"Un!" Tsunahime couldn't see it, but hearing a smile in his words, she too, smiled.

"Then, I'll be waiting."

Tsunahime ran towards Verde's back as she received the invitation. The man froze, startled by her unexpected warm embrace. But the mad scientist refused to be the one who was astounded. Verde swiftly turned around and kissed Tsunahime on the lips.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** How is it? Thanks for reading until the end! And once again I repeat, the one who wrote this A/N right now is me (the younger author) instead of my sis (the real author of this fic) so, don't be surprised to see a change of A/N later on (LOL repeated sentence)

_THANKS FOR READING UNTIL THE END, THE PATIENCE, THE SUPPORT, AND THE RESPONDS! XD_


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